Now Super Mario Run is available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. The game will be available on Android some time in 2017, but for now it’s an iOS exclusive. Here’s everything iPhone and iPad users need to know about the new Mario game.

But First, The Price

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way early: Super Mario Run is an expensive game by mobile standards. The game has a free “demo” period of use, but beyond the first three levels, the game must be paid for.

The price is high for a mobile game, but Mario games for consoles have consistently been higher priced. So if you take the price of previous games you’ve played into account, and that this game has six worlds with three stages and a boss level, this might be the cheapest Mario game you ever play. And it’s certainly not a small game by any standards.

It’s also nice to have a chance to play a mobile game that doesn’t rely on the free-to-play model. If you find yourself consistently thinking “I wish I could just buy this game outright,” then Super Mario Run should be of interest to you.

Harder Than It Looks

The premise of Super Mario Run doesn’t sound very difficult: Mario runs across the screen of his own accord, and you tap the screen when you want him to jump. You don’t have to tap the screen in any particular place, and if you hold down your finger, Mario will jump higher. That’s about it.

Nintendo Nostalgia Trip

The setting will look very familiar to anyone who has ever played any Mario game before. Bowser has kidnapped Peach, and it’s up to you and Mario to rescue her by venturing to all the corners of the Mushroom Kingdom and facing Goombas, Koopa Troopas, Piranha Plants, and other Mario fare.

If you’re looking for innovation in platforming, Super Mario Run probably won’t satisfy you. It is very much a retread of the old Mario formula, with a dash of Temple Run urgency thrown in. But if you want to take the old familiar Mario with you on the road, this is the game for you. If you’d rather have a richer mobile Mario experience, consider getting a New 3DS XLNew Nintendo 3DS XL Review and CompetitionNew Nintendo 3DS XL Review and CompetitionThe New 3DS XL is here, and it brings some interesting changes – but is it worth upgrading if you already have a 3DS? Should new users save some cash and buy the older generation?Read More and one of the Mario games available for it.

One of the surprises when I played the early stages of the game was that there is a second mode of play called Toad Rally. In Toad Rally, you race against the clock with an opponent, trying to collect more coins and impress more Toads than they do by gaining style points. In essence, it’s a chaotic multiplayer mode with slightly less depth than the main “World Tour” single-player mode.

Toad Rally is a fun way of unlocking more coins to spend in the game’s Build Shop, which lets you rebuild the Mushroom Kingdom with plants, decorations, and buildings that give you special rewards. Kingdom Building is the third mode on offer, and it’s fairly simple and anemic. Still, the trademark whimsical art style makes it feel more interesting.

If you link Super Mario Run with your Nintendo account, you can unlock a number of extras, including the ability to play as Toad in the single-player mode. You can unlock these extras using Nintendo Points, and you can also earn said points by playing the game.

iPad or iPhone: Which Is Better?

Super Mario Run is available for both iPhones and iPads. There are no aesthetic differences between the two, so it comes down to what screen size you prefer for your games. The iPad version was slightly easier on the eyes, since the details on screen can be very fine and it’s easier to make them out on a larger screen, but that’s true of almost any mobile game.

Should You Play Super Mario Run?

Super Mario Run is a fun game that should please most Nintendo fans. The simple, approachable style of play on offer and the game’s bright energy make it a great way to get your Mario fix on the go.

That said, the game’s hefty price tag isn’t for everyone. In an age of $0.99 time-wasters and free-to-play business models, $9.99 might seem like a tough pill to swallow. It’s understandable that might be a deal-breaker for you.

Rachel is from Austin, Texas. She spends most of her time writing, gaming, reading, and writing about gaming and reading. Did I mention she writes? During her freakish bouts of non-writing, she plots world domination and does a dead-on Lara Croft impersonation.